Jerusalem

The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:


“Jerusalem” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)


“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)

king

Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:

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  • Piro: “a great one”
  • Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
  • Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
  • Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
  • Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))

Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo was determined:

“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”

(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )

Translation commentary on Joshua 10:1

The news of Joshua’s victories reaches Adonizedek, the king of Jerusalem (for king see 2.2), which at that time was a Jebusite city (Good News Translation footnote).The Hebrew adoni-tsedeq means “my lord (is) Zedek”; the Hebrew word tsedeq itself (as a common noun) means “righteousness.” See Melchizedek, king of Salem (Jerusalem), in Gen 14.18; his name is “my king (is) Zedek” (see Heb 7.1-2). The name “Zedek” appears to be, then, the name of one of the Amorite gods. Again (see 8.2), mention is expressly made of the death of the king of Jericho; this will occur later on in this chapter (see verses 28, 30).

Two translational adjustments may be necessary in order to give this verse maximum readability. (1) A link, showing time relationships, may be established between this chapter and the preceding chapter: “At that time Adonizedek was king of Jerusalem.” (2) The events in this verse may be narrated in a somewhat more chronological order:

• He heard that Joshua had captured and destroyed the cities of Jericho and Ai, and he heard that Joshua had killed the kings of these two cities. He also heard that the people of Gibeon …

Or:

• He heard that Joshua had captured and destroyed the city of Jericho and had killed its king. And he heard that Joshua had done the same thing to the city of Ai and its king. He also heard that the people of Gibeon …

Or:

• Joshua had captured and destroyed the city of Ai just as he had done with the city of Jericho. The city had been burned to the ground, and the king and all the people who lived there had been killed. After that the people of Gibeon had made peace with the Israelites and were living among them. When king Adonizedek of Jerusalem learned of this, 2 all the people of Jerusalem became greatly alarmed …

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .